The answer is it depends on which cruise line you choose to sail with, although the answer could change in the future.
Currently, some cruise lines require a booster shot, although they tend to be smaller cruise lines and/or based in Europe.
The rise of the Omicron variant has compelled some lines to institute additional protocols to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread onboard their ships.
So far, U.S.-based cruise lines have not embraced the booster requirement, in part due to the fact the CDC has not yet included them as part of the definition of someone being fully vaccinated.
The CDC certainly recommends and encourages the public to get booster shots, but it has not gone to the point of including them as part of defining someone as fully vaccinated.
Here is a list of cruise lines that do not require COVID-19 boosters to sail.
Cruise lines requiring a booster
UnCruise Adventures
Viking
Grand Circle Cruise Line
Overseas Adventure Travel
P&O Cruises and Cunard Line
Lindblad Expeditions (beginning March 1, 2022)
Silversea Cruises (beginning March 1, 2022)
Azamara (beginning March 1, 2022)
Hapag-Lloyd will not require the booster if fewer than three months have passed since a passenger was fully vaccinated.
Carnival Cruise Line
No requirement for a booster shot
Carnival Cruise Line requires at least 95 percent of passengers be fully vaccinated.
Carnival does recommend anyone who is at-risk by the FDA and US CDC from COVID-19 get a booster dose.
Celebrity Cruises
A COVID-19 booster vaccine shot is not required to sail with Celebrity Cruises.
Celebrity Cruises will require vaccine-eligible guests to be fully vaccinated with all initial doses administered at least 14 days prior to sailing.
Disney Cruise Line
DCL does not require a booster shot, but it does require any passenger five years old and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail.
Norwegian Cruise Line
No requirement for a booster shot.
Until further notice, NCL will require all guests and crew to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure.
Royal Caribbean
No requirement for a booster shot, but the cruise line warned it might require it.
Royal Caribbean warned that it could add a booster requirement in the future due to the fluid situation of COVID-19.
Future protocols may require boosters, lowered vaccination ages, and changes to testing.
While not requiring a booster, Royal Caribbean “strongly recommends” that guests get boosted before their cruise.
Tags: Carnival Cruise line, COVID-19 pandemic, Omicron variant, Royal Caribbean cruises, U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
